More information on the Middle School schedule changes

For parents who are interested in the proposed Amherst Regional Middle School changes & would like to know more, there is information available on the ARMS web site (arms.arps.org).

The information posted there includes a new document (dated Jan 23rd) which provides answers to questions that have been asked about the proposed changes and the process behind the proposal.   The link is this document is here.

Additionally, there will be a presentation to the Regional School Committee about the proposed changes this coming Thursday, Jan 29th, 5 pm, at the Middle School library.  The announcement for that presentation is here.  No time is scheduled during the presentation for public comment, however, as per the announcement, "questions will be taken from the audience if time permits after the School Committee questions/discussion."

The local press has reported that the decision about any schedule changes for next school year,  will be made by the beginning of Feb 2015.

Middle school schedule changes

Information on the proposed middle school schedule changes is available on the Middle School's APRS web site  (arms.arps.org).

The information posted there includes the school's & district's rationale for the schedule change.  Here is the link to that document.  (link)  

The Daily Hampshire Gazette also published an article about the proposed changes & last week's information meeting for parents.  (link)

After that meeting, one parent with children at multiple Amherst schools, including Crocker Farm, sent out an email about the proposed changes and the decision making process. Excerpts from that email are below. 

The Crocker Farm PGO has taken no position on the proposed middle school schedule changes and is sharing the text of the email strictly for informational purposes.

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"The following is a clarification on the decision process for the ARMS schedule proposal (that among other things cuts language 32% and cuts music 18%), that ARMS Asst Principal Mike Malone told me during a telephone call on Friday 1/9:

• "Per the teachers' union contract, the design of the schedule proposal had to be fixed in place on 12/1/14.  It now has to have an all-of-nothing decision to either accept everything or reject everything, made by the Superintendent by 2/1.  There are no changes that can be made to anything: it either all goes through, or nothing goes through.

• "The teachers' union contract requires that teacher feedback be solicited and replied to, but there is no such requirement to communicate with parents/community, or to present to the SC.  The 1/8 parents meeting therefore was just an FYI; there was no parent input meeting/survey/etc prior to the 12/1/14 deadline to gather input or hear concerns."
  

Tonight's School Committee meeting (7 pm, in the ARHS library), is the only School Committee meeting scheduled before the 2/1 deadline.

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Parents/guardians who have comments or concerns on the proposed middle school schedule changes can contact the School Committee members, the Middle School principal and assistant principal, or the Superintendent's office.

In other news, the Crocker Farm PGO is hosting a Coffee with the Principal and Special Guest Superintendent Maria Geryk on Thursday, January 29th at 8:50 am in the school's Community Room (across from the cafeteria).  All are welcome.  The superintendent will be providing updates on the district and our schools, and there will be time for questions and answers as well.